'American Sniper' Chris Kyle Told Newsmax the Truth, Watch Him
Monday, 26 Jan 2015 07:43 PM
Chris Kyle, co-author of the book "American Sniper" and subject of the blockbuster movie of the same name, told Newsmax TV during a 2012 interview that when he was about to pull the trigger with an enemy fighter in his sights, he was only thinking about one thing: protecting life.
"You're not trying to humanize that person. You're not thinking about them or their family or anything else," the former Navy SEAL told host John Bachman. "When I was in those situations, the only thing I'm thinking of is trying to stop them from the act of violence that they're trying to commit on my guys, the allies, or the innocent civilians in those cities."
Story continues below video.
During his time in the military, Kyle became the most lethal sniper in American history, with 160 confirmed kills. The claim is that he actually killed 255 enemy soldiers.
In 2013, Kyle was tragically killed by a fellow veteran at a Texas gun range. He was 38.
Kyle's book was made into a movie, which opened in select theaters on Christmas Day last month. On Jan. 16, it was released nationwide. Box-office sales for the Clint Eastwood-directed film eclipsed the $85 million mark on the opening weekend, while it took in another $64.4 million during its second weekend.
The book and movie have caused much controversy. Anti-war activists, led by liberalfilmmaker Michael Moore, have criticized Kyle for doing what snipers are paid to do: Kill the bad guys to protect the good guys.
Moore has Tweeted his opinions in the days since the movie was released.
Kyle was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2009. His book hit the shelves three years later.
During his 2012 interview with Newsmax, Kyle said it takes time for soldiers to adjust to life back in the states.
"You definitely let your guard down. You realize that you're not in a day-to-day threat anymore," Kyle said. "I'd stub my toe or break it going up and down the stairs and my wife would just laugh at me. But we usually had quite a bit of time at home to where we could try to deal with the stresses and then let them go and be back to normal."
On Feb. 2, 2013, Kyle and a friend brought another veteran to a gun range. That third man, a 25-year-old suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, shot and killed both men. He was captured after a car chase that evening. His trial, which was delayed from last year, is slated to begin next month.
Kyle said he wrote the book to honor members of the U.S. military and their families. He said in 2012 he would donate all of his proceeds to military members and their families.
"One, it's for the civilians because I'm trying to raise the awareness of the troops, that when they deploy and go to war, it's not them at war — it's also their family," Kyle said.
"The family's having to go through all the hardships and the stresses. But also to raise awareness within the military that you're not just going out there, maybe sacrificing your own life, there's also sacrifices still going on at home."
Kyle said he and other members of the military are touched when Americans come up to them — often in airports — to say "thank you," but he would like to see that go a step further.
"I'm trying to get people to take it another step forward. Let's show them things," he said. "Just little random acts of kindness, whether you wanna mow their yard, or babysit so they can go on a date or take a nap. Cook them a meal. If you just show them 'thank you,' it'll blow them away and it means a whole lot more than just 'thank you.'"
The average American doesn't know what soldiers go through when they're at war, said Kyle.
"Not at all. I think for the most part, people think everyone who comes home has problems and they don't even fully understand what goes on over there," Kyle said in 2012.
"How horrific war actually is. Even though you have all this media embedded, it can't capture the raw emotions that these guys are feeling, and they can't even show all the graphic details guys are living day to day."
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© 2015 Newsmax. All rights reserved."You're not trying to humanize that person. You're not thinking about them or their family or anything else," the former Navy SEAL told host John Bachman. "When I was in those situations, the only thing I'm thinking of is trying to stop them from the act of violence that they're trying to commit on my guys, the allies, or the innocent civilians in those cities."
Story continues below video.
During his time in the military, Kyle became the most lethal sniper in American history, with 160 confirmed kills. The claim is that he actually killed 255 enemy soldiers.
Kyle's book was made into a movie, which opened in select theaters on Christmas Day last month. On Jan. 16, it was released nationwide. Box-office sales for the Clint Eastwood-directed film eclipsed the $85 million mark on the opening weekend, while it took in another $64.4 million during its second weekend.
The book and movie have caused much controversy. Anti-war activists, led by liberalfilmmaker Michael Moore, have criticized Kyle for doing what snipers are paid to do: Kill the bad guys to protect the good guys.
Moore has Tweeted his opinions in the days since the movie was released.
Kyle was honorably discharged from the Navy in 2009. His book hit the shelves three years later.
During his 2012 interview with Newsmax, Kyle said it takes time for soldiers to adjust to life back in the states.
On Feb. 2, 2013, Kyle and a friend brought another veteran to a gun range. That third man, a 25-year-old suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, shot and killed both men. He was captured after a car chase that evening. His trial, which was delayed from last year, is slated to begin next month.
Kyle said he wrote the book to honor members of the U.S. military and their families. He said in 2012 he would donate all of his proceeds to military members and their families.
"One, it's for the civilians because I'm trying to raise the awareness of the troops, that when they deploy and go to war, it's not them at war — it's also their family," Kyle said.
"The family's having to go through all the hardships and the stresses. But also to raise awareness within the military that you're not just going out there, maybe sacrificing your own life, there's also sacrifices still going on at home."
Kyle said he and other members of the military are touched when Americans come up to them — often in airports — to say "thank you," but he would like to see that go a step further.
"I'm trying to get people to take it another step forward. Let's show them things," he said. "Just little random acts of kindness, whether you wanna mow their yard, or babysit so they can go on a date or take a nap. Cook them a meal. If you just show them 'thank you,' it'll blow them away and it means a whole lot more than just 'thank you.'"
The average American doesn't know what soldiers go through when they're at war, said Kyle.
"Not at all. I think for the most part, people think everyone who comes home has problems and they don't even fully understand what goes on over there," Kyle said in 2012.
"How horrific war actually is. Even though you have all this media embedded, it can't capture the raw emotions that these guys are feeling, and they can't even show all the graphic details guys are living day to day."
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